CA - Archbishop Gomez is behaving just like Mahony

CA - Archbishop Gomez is behaving just like Mahony

Archbishop Gomez is behaving exactly like Cardinal Mahony - posturing as a reforming but acting like an enabler. Once again, parishioners and the public learn about potentially dangerous clerics thanks to outside sources.

Earlier this week the organization Bishop Accountability discovered a document naming two dozen clergy predators who have never been publicly named.

Frankly, Gomez's explanation defies common sense and archdiocesan history. In almost every instance, LA Catholic officials have disclosed information about predator priests only when forced or pushed to do so by external pressures or sources.

Every day Gomez has hidden – and keeps hiding – information about child molesters is a day child molesters are able to keep molesting.

Gomez took over the LA archdiocese on March 1, 2011. So he's had 716 days to educate himself and warn others about hundreds of proven, admitted and credibly accused child molesting clerics. Many of those clerics still work and walk free among unsuspecting families, friends and colleagues. On his first day in office, Gomez should have been poring over abuse files. Within weeks, he should have fully and frankly revealed everything that archdiocesan staff knew about these predators.

Had he done so, surely some kids would have been spared the pain, humiliation, confusion and horror that goes with being molested. Had he done so, surely some of the almost 300 credibly accused LA predator priests would have been charged and jailed and convicted.

Instead, his predecessor, Cardinal Roger Mahony, says “Not once over these past years did [he] ever raise any questions about our policies, practices, or procedures in dealing with the problem of clergy sexual misconduct involving minors.” Gomez refuses to respond to this troubling claim.

There are now almost 300 proven, admitted and credibly accused LA area predator priest who have been publicly identified at BA.org